Panel and frame assembly



Nov. 22, 1966 J. w. GREIG ETAL.

PANEL AND FRAME ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. l5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 94 ya [ze Nov. 22, 1966 .1.w. GREIG ETAL. 3,285,412

PANEL AND FRAME ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 1s, 1964 2 sheets-sheet 2 A 5g-@Agg 50a INVENTORJ BY 6W5 i PQM United States Patent O 3,286,412 PANEL AND FRAME ASSEMBLY James W. Greig, Grosse Pointe Park, `and Leslie J.

Berridge, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Woodall Industries, Incorporated, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Feb. 13, 19.64, Ser. No. 344,726

' v2 Claims. (Cl. 52-621) This invention relates to an improved panel `and frame assembly and particularly to such an assembly wherein a panel may be quickly 4and securely attached to or detached from its supporting frame.

Another object is the provision of a panel and frame assembly wherein the panel may be secured to the frame without theluse of nails, screws, or the like which have to be inserted through the panel and into the iframe, but through the use of clip means of a character designed to be quickly attached to the inner face of the panel-and quickly coupled with the supporting frame to secure the panel thereto and preferably t-o tension the same toward the frame against detachment therefrom.

Another object is the provision of a panel and frame assembly of the character specified which is of a simple and inexpensive construction, and the attaching means is of such a character that different kinds and decorative treatments may be substituted one for the other.

Another object is the provision of a panel .and frame assembly as defined wherein the panels .may be packaged and/-or shipped or stored in a at relationship and may be assembled with the frames wherever desired.

This invention is `adaptable formany types of panel and -frame assemblies such as stationary walls or partitions or for doors either of the folding or sliding type.

The construction is such that with the lframes formed of metal or the like and designed to be received within a certain space,if there is a variation between the space and the frame in that the frame is smaller than the space, the panels may be provided in such area that they overlap the frame and may be trimmed to tit the space, and the frames, therefore, are usable within spaces that may differ somewhat in area. g

A feature of importance is that the fastening means to secure the panels to the frames is in the form o-f clip retainers secured to the inner face of the panel, and spring clips adapted to be connected with the retainers and then to be connected with the supporting frame upon which the panel is mounted, to mount the .panel upon the frame, and to improvements in said clips.

Another feature of importance is that the panels are so held by the clips to the frame -as to permit movement of the panels with respect to the frame in response to the expansion or contractionof the panels due to changes in atmospheric conditions 4which with many materials will cause appreciable expansion land/or contraction.

Other objects, advantagesand meritorious features of the invention will more fully appear `from the following description, claims, and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a rear elevation of a `door or the like upon which a panel has been mounted by means of clips and retainers as disclosed in the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a series of the doors such as illustrated in FIG. l pivotally connected together to form a folding door assembly;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a door frame and panel assembly showing improved clip securing means connecting the panel to the frame.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through a fragment of a panel provided lwith a clip retainer showing a clip in position to be secured to the retainer;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a spring clip and a clip retainer as separate elements in elevation;

3,286,412 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 ice FIG. 6 is a perspective showing the clip and clip retainer of FIG. 5 with the clip coupled with the retainer;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a panel provided with a clip retainer land a clip secured thereto prior to connection of the clip with the frame in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross section through a frame element such as might be provided in a partition wall of a building showing a panel secured thereto by a clip assembly;

FIG. 9 is a cross section through a fragment showing two panels secured to opposite sides of a frame member Iby clip assemblies herein disclosed; and

FIG. lO is a fragmentary cross section showing a panel and clip assembly secured thereto and connected with a Iframe element of a character varying somewhat from the frame elements disclosed in earlier figures;

FIG. 1l represents a slight modification of the structure shown in FIG. 10.

As specified my invention relates to a frame and panel assembly which may be embodied in various form such as door panels or partiti-on walls or the like. In FIG. l, there is shown a rectangular frame comprising the opposed parallel upright frame members 20 and 22 connected together at their bottom ends by a bottom frame member 24 and at their top ends by top frame member 26. These frame members may be tubular metal elements of a rectangular cross sectional shape as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 7 by the numeral 20. The panel itself -as shown in FIGS. l, 3 and 7 is indicated :by the numeral 28. Such panel may be formed of plywood, Masonite, or any other suitable composition -material such as plastic or a rigid panel foundation overlaid with plastic. It has a front side which is exposed to view that may be decorated as described. It has an inner face which overlaps the front face 21 of the frame and is held toward the frame by spring clips and clip retainers as hereinafter set forth.

In FIGS. l, 3 and 7, the frame which is illustrated as formed of metal tubing is sufficiently rigid to serve its purpose as a door frame, and the bottom and top frame portions which extend between the side frame members may be Welded or otherwise secured to the side frame members and may be spaced from the ends ofthe side frame members as shown in FIG. l. Such spacing may be for the purpose of securing hardware to the top and bottom of the doors or for providing portions that may be cut off to fit the vertical distance desired to be covered.

There is `secured to the inner face of the panel 28 spaced from the margins which overlap the frame members a linearly aligned series of clip `retainers 30. The

end portions of these clip retainers are provided with projections' or teeth 32 which extend into and are engaged with the interior structure of the panel 28 to secure the clip retainers thereto as shown particularly in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7. A plurality of these projecting elements 32 are illustrated in the several figures of the drawings.

The intermediate portion of each clip retainer which extends between the end portions provided with the teeth 32 is indicated as 34 and is bumped out of the plane of the end portions as shown particularly in FIGS. 3, 4,

5, 6 an-d 7. It will be seen that such intermediate portion is spaced above the inner face of the panel 28 when the retainer is attached thereto, suliciently to receive thereun-derneath between the clip retainer and the inner face of the panel, the base of a spring clip identified generally as 36, FIGS. 4 and 5. The spacing is such that the base 38 of the clip is snugly received underneath the offset intermediate portion 34 of the clip retainer so as to hold the clip in place. The clip retainer is preferably made of soft steel or the like which will insure that the teeth or projections 32 when urged into the interior of the panel are spread apart so as to be clinched therein.

The clip itself is formed of spring steel and is shown in FIG. 5 as in other figures of the drawing as being generally of a right angular shape having a base portion 38 and leg portion 40 and a flange portion 42. It will be noted that the base portion an-d the flange portion project away from the leg portion in opposite directions and that the base portion 38 projects away from the leg at an angle greater than a right angle. The flange 42 projects away from the leg at an angle less than a right angle.

When the base portion is received underneath the intermediate portion of the clip retainer as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the leg portion 50` projects away from the panel and the base of the clip at an angle greater than a right angle so that when the clip is moved to pass over the inner face of the frame 20 from the position shown in FIG. 7 to that shown in FIG. 3, the leg is straightened up somewhat and the fiange 42 overhangs and engages the side of the frame 20 opposed to the side overlapped by the panel 28. It is apparent this clip engaging portion of the frame is spaced transversely of the frame from the panel supporting means of the frame. As a result of this spacing and this angular formation of the clip, the flange 42 is placed under tension and the leg 40 is placed under tension when the parts are connected as shown in FIG. 3, so that preferably a yielding tension is imposed tending to hold the panel to the frame. It is apparent however that there is suficient permitted play or lost motion that the panel would be permitted to expand and/ or contract under changes in moisture content due to atmospheric changes and the panel is provided at the bottom with a clip but not at the top.

FIG. 8 shows a panel 28a and clip 36a and a clip retainer indicated generally as 30a all of which are similar to the elements heretofore described in the earlier figures of the drawing. The frame member in FIG. 8, however, is indicated as 44. It is shown as formed of wood or the like and as having strips 46 secured thereto by nails 48 or the like and the fianges 42a of the clips overhang these strips 46 as shown to serve the same purpose as has been hereinabove described. Elements 44 may be wood studs and the strips 46 may be wood strips.

In FIG. 10 the structure is similar to that shown in FIG. 8 and the parts are similarly identified except that the frame is shown as formed of a metal tube rectangular in cross section and indicated as 50. This tube has a lug 52 bent therefrom into its interior as illustrated, and the flange 42a of the clip overhangs the edge of the opening formed by punching the lug therefrom and would serve the purpose of holding the panel to the frame in the same way as is vserved by the engagement of the flange of the clip with the frame shown in the first seven figures of the drawing or in FIGS. 8 and 9. A series of linearly aligned lugs would be punched from the tube, one for each clip.

In FIG. 9 the frame is illustrated as provided with two panels, one on each side thereof. The frame also is illustrated as formed of wood or the like which is square in cross section and indicated by the numeral 52. Of course the frame might be of any suitable material or as heretofore described. One panel, indicated as 54, is shown as having clips of the character hereinabove described and indicated by the numeral 56 secured thereto by clip retainers 58. The clips differ only in one respect from those heretofore described, namely, each one of the clips has its leg punched out forming a lug 60 which lug is shown as engaged by the flange 64 of the leg 62 of a clip which is secured to the opposite panel by a clip retainer 66 secured to the opposite panel. Such clip has a leg of a length to snugly grip the lug 60 and such clip is secured to its panel by the clip retainer 66 as heretofore described. Its panel is indicated as 68. The functioning is apparent. The two clips therefore of the two panels 54 and 68 are interengaged so as to hold the two panels to the frame.

In FIG. l1 the frame which is indicated as 50a is provided with an aperture S1 and the clips of the two panels are hooked over respectively opposite edges of the aperture as sho-wn.

It was hereinabove stated that door assemblies such as shown in FIG. l might be pivo-ted together to fo-rm a folding door structure such as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 there are three door elements indicated as 70, 72 and 74 which are hingedly connected together as illustrated to permit such to be folded, and suitable bearing elements 76 may be provided to -ride in top or bottom guideways for sliding folding movement o-f the door assembly. Such assembly may be hingedly supported in a door opening in any conventional manner. v

It is apparent that while the frame shown upon which the panels are mounted are door frames, such might be, used as parts -of a partition wall. Such frame members might be fixed frames such as studs of a partition wall formed in the mann-er shown land to which the panels were secured by the clips as shown, or shiftable panel assemblies. This invention relates to the construction of the panels themselves.

What we claim is:

1. A panel and supporting frame assembly comprising, in combination, a frame support having opposed spaced apart side frame members, each side frame member provided with a linearly disposed panel face supporting portion and means disposed linearly of the face supporting portion of each side frame member adapted to be engaged by clips secured to the panel when the panel is mounted upon the panel face supporting portions of the spaced apa-rt side frame members, said clips extending transversely of 'the frame from said panel face supporting portion, a panel mounted upon theface supportingportions of the opposed .spaced apart side frame members, to extend across the space between the two side frame members and overlie said panel face supporting portions thereof, clip retainers secured to the inner face of the panel adjacent to the opposed inner sides of the two side frame members overlaid by the panel, spring clips of a generally right angular shape, each clip having a base portion engaged with a clip retain-er secured to the panel and a leg portion extending awayfrom the base portion and away from the panel and terminating at its free end in a fiange, said flange engaged over the clip engaging means of the frame member holding the panel toward the panel sup-porting face there-of when the panel is mounted upon the panel face supporting portions ofthe two spaced apart side frame members, said panel and frame assembly characterized in that a second panel is provided to extend ac-ross the space between the two side frame members and overlie that Iface of each side frame member opposed to the face overlaid by the first panel, and characterized further in that the second panel is provided with clip retainers secu-red to its inner face opposed to the clip retainers secured to the first panel when the second panel is mounted upon the side fra-me members opposed to the first panel, and spring clips each having a base portion engaged with a clip retainer of the second panel and car-v ried thereby, and characterized Ifurther in that lthese spring clips carried by the second panel have leg portions which overlap the leg portions of the cli-ps carried by the first panel when the two panels are mounted upon opposed faces of the side frame member and interconnect with the leg portions of the spring clipscarried by the first panel holding the second panel toward the side vframe members upon which it is mounted.

2. A door assembly comprising, in combination, a door frame having opposed spaced apart side lframe members, opposed spaced apart top and bottom frame members extending between and secured at opposite ends to the side frame members forming a generally rectangular panel supponting frame, certain of said opposed spaced apart Iframe members provided with linearly extending oppositely facing panel supporting face portions adapted to support -two opposed panels overlying the oppositely' facing face portions of said frame members, said frame members further provided with linearly arranged clip engaging portions adapted to be engaged by clips secured to the two panels, two panels each of a size t-o extend across the space bounded by said frame members Vand over-lie said panel supporting face portions thereof, clip retainers secured to the inner faees of the two panels at intervals along lines generally corresponding to the opposed inner faces of said frame members, spring clips connected with and carried by said clip retainers and extending between the clip retainers and the clip engaging portions of the -frame and engaged therewith and tensioning the two panels toward the frame, said clip engaging portions of the frame being openings provided in .the frame so dimensioned as to receive clips carried by the two panels 4and to be engaged thereby.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,355,669 10/1920 Henry 52-475 X 1,630,906 5/ 1927 Ricken 189-46 2,141,700 12/ 1938 Tinnerman 52-511 2,297,609 9/1942 Clark et al. 52.-621 X 2,653,686 9/ 1953 Routt 52-511 X 2,871,520 2/1959 Ruda v 52-511 X 3,023,866 3/1962 Moore 52-489 FOREIGN PATENTS 470,613 8/ 1937 Great Bri-tain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner. P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PANEL AND SUPPORTING FRAME ASSEMBLY COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A FRAME SUPPORT HAVING OPPOSED SPACED APART SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, EACH SIDE FRAME MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A LINEARLY DISPOSED PANEL FACE SUPPORT PORTION AND MEANS DISPOSED LINEARLY OF THE FACE SUPPORTING PORTION OF EACH SIDE FRAME MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY CLIPS SECURED TO THE PANEL WHEN THE PANEL IS MOUNTED UPON THE PANEL FACE SUPPORTING PORTIONS OF THE SPACED APART SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, SAID CLIPS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE FRAME FROM SAID PANEL FACE SUPPORTING PORTION, A PANEL MOUNTED UPON THE FACE SUPPORTING PORTIONS OF THE OPPOSED SPACED APART SIDE FRAME MEMBERS, TO EXTEND ACROSS THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO SIDE FRAME MEMBERS AND OVERLIE SAID PANEL FACE SUPPORTING PORTIONS THEREOF, CLIP RETAINERS SECURED TO THE INNER FACE OF THE PANEL ADJACENT TO THE OPPOSED INNER SIDES OF THE TWO SIDE FRAME MEMBERS OVERLAID BY THE PANEL SPRING CLIPS OF A GENERALLY RIGHT ANGULAR SHAPE, EACH CLIP HAVING A BASE PORTION ENGAGED WITH A CLIP RETAINER SECURED TO THE PANEL AND A LEG PORTION EXTENDING AWAY FROM THE BASE PORTION AND AWAY FROM THE PANEL AND TERMINATING AT ITS FREE END IN A FLANGE, SAID FLANGE ENGAGED OVER THE CLIP ENGAGING MEANS OF THE FRAME MEMBER HOLDING THE PANEL TOWARD THE PANEL SUPPORTING FACE THEREOF WHEN THE PANEL IS MOUNTED UPON 